Are you flying high again? No, we’re not talking about Ozzy Osbourne’s 1981 hit.
Today, we are going to look at the world’s most expensive aircraft. We’re talking about genuinely amazing airplanes that push aviation to higher heights and, of course, come with ludicrous price tags.
After reading this article, you might think twice before bragging about flying first class on Spirit Airlines (if that is even a thing). Check out this list of the five airplanes with the most astronomical price tags and let your imagination soar.
Our Fascination with Flight
Humankind has always looked the skies desiring to imitate the birds. Leonard Da Vinci dedicated massive amounts of effort toward building a flying machine.
Humble Beginnings
Orville and Wilbur Wright flew the first self-propelled aircraft in 1903. The legendary flight took place outside of Kitty Place, North Carolina, and the plane traveled about 120 feet.
For comparison, consider this fact. The wingspan of a Boeing 747 jet is about 200 feet.
The Top Five Most Expensive Aircraft
We’ve come a long way in the last one hundred and something years. There are airplanes that utilize stealth, artificial intelligence, and a myriad of other cutting edge technologies.
When it comes to expensive aircraft, some of the numbers are exorbitant. For the sake of comparison, let’s go back to the Boeing 747, one of the most produced airplanes of all time.
It comes with a price tag of about 230 million dollars, depending on the variation. Let’s see how that compares with the most expensive airplanes in the world.
5. F-22 Raptor Jet
The Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine beast of a military aircraft dominates the skies. It is designed and produced by Lockheed-Martin since 1996.
However, it wasn’t until 2005 that this jet wasn’t introduced for military service until 2005. It was used in several missions but didn’t see actual combat until 2014 when it deployed in Syria and dropped GPS-guided bombs on terrorist targets in Syria.
The production cost is only about $150 million but, with maintenance and other expenses, the real price is about $334 million.
4. Airbus A380 Superjumbo Jet
This plane is ridiculously massive. It is used for commercial purposes as a double-decker passenger plane. It employs over $17,000 worth of fuel per hour.
How does that compare with your hybrid Prius?
The typical cost is about $500 million, but a luxury aircraft version can cost much more, and did you know Airbus is spending big bucks to scrap them? Yep, it turns out no-one wanted to fly with 700 passengers much less deal with the headaches of operating one.
3. Airbus A340-300
This is a somewhat smaller version of the A380 that is mostly used by Lufthansa and AirFrance.
It costs about $200 million if you believe published airliners pricing (this is almost double what is paid).
2. B-2 Spirit Bomber
This is one of the most advanced aircraft ever built. Its stealth capabilities are something out of a sci-fi movie.
It can cost upwards of a cool $2 billion. Think that it too much?
1. Air Force One
The next line of Air Force Ones is going to come at a staggering total cost of $5.2 billion.
Does the president need a multi billion dollar luxurious aircraft? We’ll let you be the judge.
The Price of Flight
Today, flying an regular part in the lives of everyday people. The availability of commercial planes and discount airliners has allowed the ordinary person to enjoy the wonder of flight.
When you look at the world’s most expensive aircraft, your plane ticket suddenly seems quite reasonable.
Passionate about aviation? Check out this website for all you need to know about all kinds of airplanes.
